Contact lens contouring and polishing machine



1964 s. H. VEGORS ETAL 3,145,506

CONTACT LENS CONTOURING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Lg] mvewraw.

5TA/YLEY H. VEGORS FPfl/YK L. ARNOLD ATTORNEY Aug. 25, 1964 s. H. VEGORSETAL 3,145,506

CONTACT LENS CONTOURING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEIITORS. STANLEY h. VEGOAZS FRANK L. AP/YOAD F 7 BY ,4

United States Patent 3,145,506 CONTACT LENS CQNTOURING AND POLISHINGMACHINE Stanley H. Vegors, 6 Hampshire Court, and Franlrl.

Arnold, 1023 N. Pennsylvania, both of Mason City,

Iowa

Filed Mar. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 181,401 6 Ciairns. (Cl. 51-33) Thisinvention relates generally to material polishing machines and moreparticularly to an apparatus for contouring and polishing the peripheraledge and adjacent side portions of a contact lens.

Prior to applicants invention the method in most common use forpolishing and contouring the peripheral edge and adjacent side portionsof a contact lens was a hand method, the success of which was dependententirely upon the skill and dexterity of the practitioner.

Thus a lens manufacturer supplied the practitioner with a lens havingacceptable tolerances for power, center thickness, over-all diameter andradius of curvature. The practitioner, in the best way he could, wouldthen hone, grind, file or otherwise attempt to hand contour theperipheral edges of the lens along with polishing the same. By virtue ofthese hand operations the lens would vary in the configuration of itsperipheral edges and in the degree of polish given to the over-allconfiguration, all to the ultimate discomfort of the lens user.

Importantly by the above method duplicate lenses were most diflicult ifnot impossible to reproduce since the practitioner could only attempt tomatch the previously finished lens rather than to duplicate the sameaccording to a set or predetermined pattern or method used in itsfinishing.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a novel apparatusto contour and polish the peripheral edge and adjacent side portions ofa contact lens.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus forcontouring and polishing the peripheral edges of a contact lens so as topositively control both the removal of material and the contour wherebythe contour of the finished lens is uniform about its entire periphery.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus whereinthe peripheral contour of the lens can be adjusted and after adjustmentuniformly maintained about the complete periphery of the lens.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus forpolishing and contouring the peripheral edge and adjacent edge portionsof a contact lens wherein the lens is supported for rotation about anaxis coincident with the optical center of the lens while being workedupon by a rotatable material removing and polishing member. I

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus forcontouring and polishing the peripheral and adjacent peripheral edges ofa contact lens which is economical, time saving and efiicient inoperation to pro duce lenses and reproduce duplicate lenses withcontrolled accuracy.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent from the following description when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lens finishing apparatus of thisinvention with certain parts removed to more clearly show itsconstruction;

FIG. 2 is an elevational detail view showing a part of the mechanism forcontrolling the shaping of the contour of the periphery of a lens;

FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective View showing the mechanism forcontrolling the amount of material to be removed from a lens in thecontouring of its peripheral edge and adjacent side portions;

FIG. 4 is a detail elevational view showing the relative arrangement ofa contact lens with a material removing and polishing member;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a chuck and lens assembly whereinthe optical center of the lens is coincident with its axis of rotation;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic showing of the electrical circuit for theoperating motors used in the apparatus of this invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

With reference to the drawing the apparatus of this invention isillustrated in FIG. 1 as including a base 10 of a rectangular shapehaving mounted on its top side a spindle unit indicated at 11 and abailing unit indicated at 12, that is vertically adjustable relative tothe spindle unit by an adjusting device indicated at 13. Concurrentlywith the rotation of a butter wheel 14, which forms part of the bufiingunit 12, the complete unit is oscillated or rocked with a shaft 16 thatforms part of a contour adjusting control device indicated generally at17.

The spindle unit 11 includes an elongated base plate 18 having pivots 19and 21 at its opposite ends to provide for its hinged movement towardand away from a supported position on the base 10. The pivot 19 consistsof a pin fixed at one end in a block member 22 secured to the base 10and having its opposite end portion 23 slidably movable within anassociated bore 24 formed in the base plate 18.

The pivot 21 comprises a screw threadable through a block member 26 alsosecured to the base 10. The inner end of the screw 21 is secured in ausual manner for rotation within the end 27 of the base plate 18. Acontrol knob 28 at the outer end of the pivot screw 21 provides forrotation of the screw and resultant adjustable movement of the baseplate 18 axially of the pivots 19 and 21 for a purpose to appear later.

Projected upwardly from adjacent the opposite ends of the base plate 18are a pair of standards or supports 29 and 31. The standard 29 carries afixed transversely extended tubular sleeve 32 which receives intelescopic engagement a rod 33 having a spindle 34 rotatably carried ina bearing 36 positioned at the inner end of the rod 33. The rod 33 isbiased outwardly from the sleeve 32 by a coil spring 37 mounted withinthe sleeve 32 and maintained under compression between the rod 33 andthe sleeve end 38. The rotatable spindle 34 is urged by the spring 37into engagement with a lens 41, to be worked upon, which is mounted in achuck 42 carried in a spindle 43 that is rotatably journaled in abearing 44 supported on the standard 31. It is seen therefore that thespindles 34 and 43 are in axial alignment with each other and with thelens chuck 42.

To remove the chuck and lens assembly 41 and 42 from between therotatable spindles 34 and 43 the base plate 18 is pivoted to move thespindles away from the buffer wheel 14, after which the rod 33 isgripped at the bearing 36 and moved against the action of the spring 37toward the standard 29. The chuck and lens assembly 41 and 42 is thenremoved from the spindle 43.

It is to be understood that the same procedure is followed in themounting of a chuck and lens assembly between the spindles 34 and 43,with the spring pressure applied through the spindle 34 against the lens41 acting to hold the lens in a predetermined position relative to thechuck 42, and to provide for a rotation of the spindle 34 in response toa rotation of the spindle 43. The shaft for the spindle 43 is connectedat 46 with the shaft 47 of an electrical motor 48 which is mounted on abracket 49 secured to the base plate 18.

The bufiing unit 12 includes a mounting bracket 51 (FIG. 1) of agenerally U-shape having a rear leg 52 constituting a dovetail guideblock operatively associated with a dovetail guideway 53 which is fixedto an upright support member or hearing block 54 mounted on the base 10.The buffer member 14 is mounted on a shaft 55 that is suitably connectedin a driven relation with a reversible electric motor 56 secured to thefront leg 57 of the mount ing bracket 51. As best appears in FIG. 1 thebuffer shaft 55 is arranged below and normal to the spindles 34 and 43,with the bufiier wheel 14 being rotatable in a plane normal to the shaft55, and with the lens 41 being rotatable in a plane normal to the axesof the spindles 34 and 43 whereby the lens 41 and buffer wheel 14 lie inplanes at right angles to each other.

Linear vertical movement of the buffer wheel 14, relative to the lens41, is accomplished by means of a hand actuated control rod 58 (FIGS. 1and 3) rotatably supported in a mounting 59 secured to the guide block52 and threadable at 61 within the guideway 53. Thus on rotation of thecontrol rod 58, by means of a finger knob 62, the mounting bracket 51and in turn the shaft 55 of the buffer wheel 14 are vertically movableas a unit relative to the guideway 53 and in turn to the spindle means34 and 43. In other words, on manipulation of the control rod 58 thebuffing unit 12 is movable to a vertically adjusted position relative tothe lens 41.

Concurrently with the rotation of the buffer wheel 14, by the drivemotor 56, the buffing unit 12 is oscillated or rocked with the shaft 16which is rotatably supported in the bearing block 54 and secured at itsinner end to the guideway 53 as shown in FIG. 7. The shaft 16 is spacedvertically upwardly from the buffer wheel shaft 55 with the axis thereoflying in a plane common to the axis of rotation of the shaft 55.

The shaft 16 is driven by an electric motor 63 (FIGS. 1 and 2) having ashaft 64 which, as best shown in FIG. 2, is provided with an eccentricmounting 66. A connecting link 67 has one end 68 rotatably connectedwith the eccentric mounting 66 by means of a crank pin 65 and its otherend 69 pivotally connected by bolt 71 to a clamp member 72 adjustablymounted on a rock arm 73 which is adjustably clamped, as indicated at74, on the shaft 16. By adjusting the clamp 72 longitudinally of therock arm 73 the amplitude of oscillation of the shaft 15 may be varied.Further, by angularly adjusting the clamp 74, relative to the shaft 16,the extent of oscillation of the buffing unit 12, to either side of avertical plane extended through the axes of the shafts 16 and 55, may bevaried.

-As a result of this oscillatory movement of the buifing unit 12relative to the axis of the shaft 16, the axis of the buffer wheel shaft55 is moved in an are or arcuate path, indicated at 50 in FIG. 5,extended transversely of the plane of the contact lens 41 in what mightbe termed a concentric or following relation with the periphery andadjacent side edges of the lens 41.

Prior to the use of the apparatus of this invention to contour andpolish a lens 41 the lens, as received from a supplier or manufacturer,is initially placed in the chuck 42 (FIGS. 4 and with its opticalcenter, indicated at 75, positioned coincident with the axis 76 of thechuck 42. This centering is accomplished by means, including alensometer; the lens 41 being held in its optically centered positionwithin the concavity 77 of the chuck 42 by a double-faced adhesive 78,one face of which adheres to the surface of the concavity 77 and theopposite face of which adheres to the convex surface of the lens 41.

In the manner previously described the lens and chuck assembly 41 and 42is mounted between the spindles 34 and 43, the spindle 34 beingprovidedwith a rubber or like nose piece 7h (FIG. 5) of a generallyconvex form adapted to fit in a nested relation with the concave surfaceof the lens 41. By manipulation of the control knob 62 the bufling unit12 is vertically adjusted relative to the peripheral edge of the lens41. To facilitate this adjustment the apparatus is provided with a lenssize indicator, designated generally at 813 in FIG. 1, which includes acalibrated scale 81 and an indicating needle 82 movable relative to thescale $1. The needle 82 is integral with a crank arm 83 and is supportedon a pivot 84 mounted on a plate 85 which carries the calibrations 81.The plate 85 in turn is mounted on the rear side of the guideway 53.

The crank arm 83 is in contact engagement with a lateral projection 86adjustably secured, as illustrated at 87, to the guide block 52. Thus onmovement of the guide block 52 relative to the guideway 53, the needle32 is pivotally actuated, with a spring 88, connected atone end to thecrank arm 83 and at its opposite end to the guideway 53, acting tocontinuously maintain the crank arm 83 engaged with the lateralprojection 86. As shown in FIG. 1 the scale 81 is calibrated directly inmillimeters to indicate the diameter size of the lens 41.

This initial setting of the buffer wheel 14 relative to the peripheraledge of the lens 42, at a position dependent on the diameter of the lensbeing finished, provides for a uniform removal of stock from theperipheral edge of the lens.

The oscillation of the buffer wheel 14 relative to the peripheral edgeof the lens 41, concurrently with the rotation of both the lens 41 andthe wheel 14, moves that peripheral portion of the buffer wheel thatengages the adjacent peripheral portion of the lens 41 in a smallarcuate path, indicated at 50 in FIG. 5, about the peripheral edge andadjacent side portions of the lens 41. What might be termed the grosssetting of the peripheral configuration of the lens is accomplished bythe adjustment of the connecting clamps 72 and 74 relative to the rockarm 73 and shaft 16, respectively. This gross setting is complemented bywhat might be termed a fine or Vernier shaping, which is obtained byactuation of the control knob 28 which adjustably moves the spindle unit11 axially of the spindle members 34 and 43, arid in turn the lens 41transversely of the axis of rotation for the butter Wheel 14.

Extended about the lower portion of the buffer wheel 14 is a trough 92which is secured to the housing 93 for the reversible motor 56. Thetrough is filled with a liquid polishing compound which includes a tinoxide, to a level providing for the travel therethrough of the lowerperipheral portion of the butter wheel 14.

On completion of the above adjustments to provide for the desiredrelation between the buffer wheel 14 and lens 41, the motors 48, 56 and63 are concurrently set into operation by the actuation of a switch andtimer device 94 (FIG. 6). The usual time for working on the lens 41 isabout five minutes, but, of course, such time can be varied. For aboutone-half of such total time the buffer wheel 14 is operated in aclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4. The motor 56 is then reversed,through the action of the device 94, to provide for the rotation of thebuffer wheel 14 in a counterclockwise direction, as also viewed in FIG.4, for the remaining time of the contouring and polishing operation onthe lens 41.

The working peripheral surface of the butter wheel 14 is composed of asoft plastic or styrofoam material. Upon rotation in one direction,therefore, there is a tendency for such material, and the polishingcompound from the trough d2, to accumulate or pile up on what might betermed the trailing end of that portion of the peripheral surface of thebuffer wheel 14 which is in contact engagement with the lens 41. As aresult of this accumulating action there is a tendency of one peripheraledge portion of the lens 41 being more aggressively worked upon relativeto an opposite peripheral edge portion. By providing for a reversedrotation of the buffer wheel 14, during the polishing and contouringcycle, this tendency is completely eliminated so as to provide for auniform working of the buffer wheel 14 on all portions of the lens 41being contoured and polished.

On expiration of the total time period of operation, the motors 4%, 56and 63 are concurrently stopped by the device 94. The chuck and lensassembly 41 and 42 is then removed from the apparatus, and theconfiguration and surface finish of the peripheral edges of the lens 41checked for accuracy through a commercially available magnifying device.If any correction is required, the lens and chuck assembly 41 and 42 isreplaced in the apparatus of this invention, any necessary adjustmentsof the shape controls 28, 72 and 74 are made, and the lens 41 againworked upon to make the correction.

In one embodiment of the invention the buffer wheel is rotated at aspeed of about 60 rpm; the lens at a speed of about 3000 r.p.m.; and thebuffer unit 12 is oscillated at a rate of about 25 oscillations perminute.

As shown in FIG. 6 the motors 48, 56 and 63 are connected in series witheach other and with the timer 94 by the connecting wire 97. Reversal ofthe motor 56 by the timer 94 is accomplished through the connection 98.A usual plug-in 99 to a source of a 110 voltage supply is connected withthe timer device 94, the switch therefor being indicated at 100.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferredembodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be solimited since changes can be made therein which are withLn the fullintended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for contouring and polishing the peripheral edge andadjacent side portions of a contact lens comprising:

(a) a rotatable buffer member,

([2) rotatable spindle means for holding a contact lens having aperipheral edge and adjacent side portions for rotation in a verticalplane normal to the plane of rotation of said buffer member,

(c) means for adjustably vertically moving said buffer member toward andaway from the peripheral edge of the contact lens,

(d) means for horizontally adjustably moving said spindle means to movethe lens relative to said buffer member, and

(e) means for oscillating said buffer member about an axis parallel tothe axis of rotation thereof such that said buffer member, concurrentlywith rotation thereof, is oscillated in an are about the peripheral edgeand adjacent side portions of the lens.

2. An apparatus for contouring and polishing the peripheral edge andadjacent side portions of a contact lens comprising:

(a) a rotatable polishing and contouring unit including a buffer member,

(b) a rotatable spindle means for holding a contact lens having aperipheral edge and adjacent side portions, the axes of rotation of saidbutter member and spindle means being normal to each other and with theplane of a lens substantially in a plane common to the axis of rotationof said buffer member,

(c) means for adjustably moving the buffer member toward and away fromthe peripheral edge of said lens,

(d) means for adjustably moving said spindle means in a directionaxially thereof, and

(e) means for oscillating said buiier member, concurrently with rotationthereof, in an are about the peripheral edge and adjacent side portionsof the lens.

3. An apparatus for contouring and polishing the peripheral edge andadjacent side portions of a lens comprising:

(a) a rotatable bufiing unit having a buffer member,

(b) a rotatable spindle unit for holding a lens having a peripheral edgeand adjacent side portions, the axes of said two units being arrangednormal to each other, with the plane of the lens being substantially ina plane extended through the axis of said bufier unit and normal to theaxis of said spindle unit,

(0) means for adjustably moving said buffer member toward and away fromthe lens in a path parallel to the plane of the lens,

(a') means for adjustably moving the spindle means in a directionlongitudinally thereof, and

(e) means for oscillating the buffer member in an are about theperipheral edge and adjacent side portions of the lens.

4. An apparatus for contouring and polishing the peripheral edge andadjacent side portions of a lens comprising:

(a) a rotatable butting uit including a buffer member,

(b) a rotatable spindle means for holding a lens having a peripheraledge and adjacent side portions for rotation therewith, the planes ofrotation of said buffer member and lens being arranged normal to eachother and with the rotational plane of said lens extendible through theaxis of rotation of said buffer member,

(0) means for linearly moving said buffer member toward and away fromsaid spindle means to an adjusted position relative to the peripheraledge of the lens,

(d) means for adjustably moving said lens axially of the axis rotationthereof, and

(e) means for oscillating said bufifer unit about an axis parallel tothe axis of rotation of said buffer member to provide for the movementof the lens engageable portion of the bufier member in an armate pathextended transversely of the rotational plane of the lens and about theperipheral edge and adjacent side portions of the lens.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the bufier member isrotatable in reversed directions.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the oscillating means isadjustable to vary the extent of armate movement of the butter member toopposite sides of the plane of the lens.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,614,076 McClenathen Ian. 11, 1927 2,130,627 Kelly Sept. 20, 19382,855,734 Gursch Oct. 14, 1958 2,975,562 Rudnicki et al Mar. 21, 19612,990,664 Cepero July 4, 1961 3,012,379 Kuhlman Dec. 12, 1961 OTHERREFERENCES Publication: Operating Instructions for the PC CosmaformContact Lens Edger. Pages 1 and 2. Copy received in the Patent OfficeNovember 15, 1960.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CONTOURING AND POLISHING THE PERIPHERAL EDGE ANDADJACENT SIDE PORTIONS OF A CONTACT LENS COMPRISING: (A) A ROTATABLEBUFFER MEMBER, (B) ROTATABLE SPINDLE MEANS FOR HOLDING A CONTACT LENSHAVING A PERIPHERAL EDGE AND ADJACENT SIDE PORTIONS FOR ROTATION IN AVERTICAL PLANE NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF ROTATION OF SAID BUFFER MEMBER,(C) MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY VERTICALLY MOVING SAID BUFFER MEMBER TOWARD ANDAWAY FROM THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF THE CONTACT LENS, (D) MEANS FORHORIZONTALLY ADJUSTABLY MOVING SAID SPINDLE MEANS TO MOVE THE LENSRELATIVE TO SAID BUFFER MEMBER, AND (E) MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAIDBUFFER MEMBER ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION THEREOFSUCH THAT SAID BUFFER MEMBER, CONCURRENTLY WITH ROTATION THEREOF, ISOSCILLATED IN AN ARC ABOUT THE PERIPHERAL EDGE AND ADJACENT SIDEPORTIONS OF THE LENS.